


The King Gets Demoted

by Dotdotbeepdot



Series: Sides Prequel Stories [1]
Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: Ambiguous/Open Ending, Blood, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Kid Fic, No Unsympathetic Sides, Pre-Canon, Scars, Teeny bit of world building, because they are literal children you know the drill, mostly angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-07
Updated: 2021-02-07
Packaged: 2021-03-12 14:42:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,989
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29262195
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dotdotbeepdot/pseuds/Dotdotbeepdot
Summary: Janus can’t really unlatch his jaw, in fact, that mark has nothing to do with the snake side of him.It’s an old scar from when he was a child.
Relationships: None
Series: Sides Prequel Stories [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2074788
Comments: 1
Kudos: 22





	The King Gets Demoted

_“Why did you keep that scar?”_

_Janus hummed, not quite paying attention to what Remus was asking of him._

_“Why did you keep that scar?” Remus repeated. “We know how to heal ourselves now, so why do you still have it?”_

_Janus smiled at Remus and reached out to grab his hand. “To remind myself never to mess with any teeny tiny bit of the King.”_

  
  


Reason watched from above on a hill as Logic and his new friend Creativity ran around the rapidly building Imagination. Creativity wasn’t all that new― considering they all came to be around the same time, he could only be a few days younger than the others― but he did cause a lot of changes the more Thomas explored this side of himself. 

The Imagination has always been a part of Thomas that all the sides enjoyed, but it used to be abstract along with Thomas’ limited view of the world. Logic loved it the most. He dreamed and theorized about all that sciencey stuff that he and Thomas loved so much, dreaming about interesting alien life and planets, what it would feel like to be in the rainforests with all the mysterious, undiscovered animals, all that kind of stuff that only really interested hi. 

But with Creativity, the Imagination grew seemingly overnight.

There were towns and castles, forests like never seen before or even possible in real life. Pixies, fairies, creatures big and small, harmless and harmful alike filled the moors. There were even adults acting like townsfolk and the help for the silly like King that ruled the lands― with his second in command Logic, of course.

It was beautiful.

And it frightened Reason.

Morality just said it was because of his job of keeping Thomas safe, but that wasn’t Reason’s job really. That was more of Fear’s job, but he wasn’t allowed to talk about Fear or risk upsetting the others.

Reason thinks it’s because of his role as, well… reason. Nothing in the Imagination was real, and he’s seen how Creativity, Logic, and Thomas can get lost in here for hours on end. He was more than happy to let Thomas indulge himself in daydreaming, but he worries that it will get to the point of self-neglecting to his true feelings and life outside of the Imagination. 

It was only _reasonable_ to be worried about the effects too much daydreaming would cause.

Still, he liked watching them play.

“Come on, Creativity,” Logic laughed, trying to push the other side’s make-shift sword (that was nothing more than a sharp stick) away from where he was pretending to stab it through his chest. Creativity ignored him and kept making whooshing sound effects as he swung and jabbed at Logic, stopping just short from actually hitting him. “We should get back to Morality. Thomas is supposed to be listening to the teacher anyways. I don’t think Ms. Cornell will be all that pleased to see him not paying attention.”

“School is poo,” Creativity said, ever the one with words. He swung his stick again with another _whssh_ down on Logic’s head, only tapping him. Logic pushed it off again with a snicker. “I just want to fight dragons and hang out with princesses singing songs all day.”

“School isn’t poo, it’s really important. Especially for someone at Thomas’s age. In only a few short years he’ll be in junior high, and the teachers say―”

“The teachers are poo too.”

Reason huffed out a laugh and sank from his spot on the hill, rising silently just a ways away from Creativity and Logic.

“I do agree with Logic,” he spoke up, stepping unseen beside the side mentioned, finding it funny when they jumped and Creativity pointed his ‘weapon’ at him. “Thomas should be learning instead of daydreaming. That’s what homework is for.”

“He shouldn’t be daydreaming while doing homework either. The teachers said that―”

Creativity interrupted Logic with a groan. Poor Logic could never get a word in anymore with Creativity and Morality both around, they had too big of personalities and Logic’s was so hidden. Though, it would probably do him some good to grow a spine or act more like a man as people say.

“You always try to ruin everyone’s fun, Reason.” Creativity continued his thought. 

Reason was taken aback. He never thought he was a buzzkill?

“I beg your pardon?”

“See!” Creativity gestured at him with his stick and his other hand, dropping them both after he seemed to get his point across. “You say stuff like that! Only party poopers say something like that. Even the way you talk sounds like a lame adult, and that’s saying something because I hang out with Specs number 2 here.”

“The way Reason and I talk isn’t _lame—”_

“I still think we should head back and at least pretend to pay attention in class,” Reason kept his eyes on Creativity for as long as he could as he turned around to the door conveniently behind him that led them out of the Imagination. “At the very least to make sure Ms. Cornell doesn’t call on us when we are unprepared.”

Logic nodded following after Reason, but stopped when he realized he didn’t hear his friend following. He turned his head back around and saw Creativity pouting, ready to throw a fit because he wasn’t winning. Logic held out a hand towards him. 

“Come on, Creativity,” he waved his hand a little, twitching his fingers to make it more obvious to the other kid. “We can play later like Reason said.”

“I don’t want to play later, I want to play now!” The King stomped his foot and jabbed his stick down into the dirt. Reason bit back a sigh. 

“Logic, dear, why don’t you go on ahead and I’ll talk to Creativity.” Logic nodded again, dropping his hand and frowning at his friend as he continued walking to the door. Reason called after him again before he went through the door. “Tell Morality we’ll be out in just a moment!”

Another nod and the door shut, leaving Reason and Creativity in the Imagination together. Reason looked back towards the tantruming royalty. 

“Now, Creativity—”

“It’s your _majesty.”_

“Of course,” Reason bowed his head to try and subdue the other, smiling with what he hoped wasn’t annoyance or frustration. “Your majesty, we really _must_ be getting back to the high council. We should be discussing your next event.”

“Don’t pat— pat-roni— don’t make fun of me,” Creativity flushed as he stumbled through the word, looking away in his embarrassment which only seemed to make him angrier. “Why do you always want me to look stupid?”

Reason dropped his little act and frowned, confused and a little concerned. “What?”

“You always talk to me like I don’t know what I’m doing or talking about and try to make me look like I’m the bad guy,” Creativity said, poking at the dirty with a scowl. “I just want to play and you and Morality make me feel bad about that.”

“I wasn’t trying to make you feel stupid,” Reason stepped closer, placing a honest hand on his chest. “I was just doing my job as Thomas’ rational thinking to rein you in.”

“Why do you feel like you need to rein me in! I’m not doing anything wrong! I just want to play!”

“Thomas can’t play all the time, Creativity. He needs to pay attention to what’s happening in the real world sometimes.”

“I don’t want him to! The real world is stupid and everyone out there is a jerk!”

“That’s not true,” Reason lies. He knew there were some real meanies out there, but he was just trying to get Creativity to relax right now. “What about Thomas’ family and friends? His mom, dad, his brothers?”

“His brothers are jerks!” Creativity stabbed his stick more harshly into the dirt, twisting it to dig deeper in his anger. “His mom and dad are jerks too!”

“You don’t mean that.”

“You’re doing it again!” he shouted, shoulders tense and stepping closer. He dislodged his stick from the ground. “You’re making me look stupid and bad, and I’m not!”

Reason had a bad feeling of where this was going. He shouldn’t have tried this, or get baited into this conversation in the first place. “Creativity—”

_“It’s King!”_

It happened much too fast for Reason to describe. Creativity was already seething and he had raised his arm and sweeped his sword out in front of him, either forgetting about it or too caught up in his anger to understand what he was doing. The action got its results either way. 

Reason could only gasp as the stick caught his cheek and scratch an ugly gash through it. He stumbled after the swing, holding his cheek and feeling the blood and broken flesh between his fingers. He’s never been hurt before, he’s never felt anything like this before. It was overwhelming before he could tell himself it was just a scratch. 

“Reason?!” 

His breathing was coming out too fast. All he could focus on was the blood that wasn’t even that much. How could he bleed in such a place like this? He’s fallen down plenty of times without even a bruise; how did he get hurt this time? 

“Reason, are you okay?!”

Creativity tried to step towards him, but Reason couldn’t tell in that moment that his intentions were to make sure he was okay. All he could see was Creativity coming towards him and his instincts told him to _run._

Reason bolted to the door, running faster when he heard the others shout. He reached it in no time, the door disappearing once he stepped through, but he didn’t stop running. He went for Morality. 

Morality would help him. Morality would know what to do. 

He could barely breathe by the time he found him, out of breath and panicking about how much his face still hurts. Morality was with Logic, and his happy expression drastically changed to one of horror as he caught eye with Reason. He dropped what he was doing and rushed over to his friend. 

“Oh my gosh, Reason?!” Morality stopped just short of reaching out for him, but Reason closed in that space by lunging in for a hug. He tucked the unharmed side of his face to the other’s chest and Morality wrapped careful arms around his shoulders. “You’re— you’re bleeding…”

“It was Creativity,” he gasped, breathing so hard that he couldn’t comprehend the words flowing from his mouth. “I was trying to talk with him and he said that I treat him like he’s stupid, but I didn’t mean to! But then I started to talk like that again and he got mad and hit me with his stick and it’s bleeding, I dunno what to do it’s never bleed before, it hurts—”

Morality shushed him softly, placing a hand to the back of his hair and smoothed it down. He kept it up as Reason’s breathing started to calm and his adrenaline started to wear off. 

“It’s okay,” he whispered. “Thomas has been hurt before, we’ll patch you up like his parents and nurses have for him when he’s hurt.”

“But how did he get hurt?” 

“Logic, not now—”

“I’m just saying, none of us ever got hurt before. We don’t have physical forms to even hurt. How did Creativity—”

“Logic,” Morality stopped him firmly, looking over his shoulder at him to get his point across. “Enough.”

Logic shut his mouth. 

  
  


_“I’m sorry, you know?”_

_Janus blinked, bringing himself back to the present. “I beg your pardon?”_

_Remus looked uncomfortable with his next words. “I didn’t ever apologize for that, and I doubt Roman will. So I’m just saying I’m sorry now.”_

_Janus tutted and wrapped an arm around Remus’ shoulder, giving it a squeeze._

_“It’s alright, dear,” he lies. “It’s all in the past. Barely even notice it anymore.”_

**Author's Note:**

> I promise I don’t plan for all these fics to be centered around Janus and Remus they just happened to all be that rn. 
> 
> Anyways I always hated how Janus has one of those unhinged jaw things on his snake side of his face, always used to bug me because it was only one side and so when he opens his mouth he’d just crook to the side, but then I thought “what if it is a scar?” And that lead me here. 
> 
> Hoped you liked me ruining Janus’ life again.


End file.
